Readers drawn to Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, Laurie Garrett's The Coming Plague, or Theo Colburn's Our Stolen Future will appreciate this work by Thomas Kerns as well. The growing epidemics of chemically induced illnesses from long-term, low-dose exposure to toxicants in both developed and developing nations are being studied by serious researchers. Questions are being raised as to how societies will deal with these new problems: Kerns's book is the first to directly address the ethical dimension of managing environmental health and ubiquitous toxicants (such as solvents, pesticides, and artificial fragrances). The work includes recent medical literature on chronic health effects from exposure to toxicants and the social costs of these disorders; relevant historic and human rights documents; recommendations for public policy and legislation; and primary obstacles faced by public health advocates. College instructors and students, victims of chemical sensitivity disorders, public health workers, scientists, and policymakers who are interested in the challenge of these emerging epidemics will find Kerns's text highly informative.

Author Bio

Kerns, Thomas :

Thomas Kerns teaches medical ethics and philosophy at North Seattle Community College in Seattle, Washington

Acknowledgments

Preface

p. 1

Introduction

p. 5

Data

p. 25

Health Effects Overview

p. 25

Cancers

p. 29

Respiratory Disorders

p. 32

The Immune System

p. 33

Increased Incidence of Infectious Diseases

p. 38

The Blood-Brain Barrier

p. 40

Sleep Abnormalities

p. 42

Intellectual Function

p. 43

Endocrine System Dysregulation

p. 45

Detoxification Pathways

p. 50

Behavioral Disorders

p. 51

MCS

p. 52

Pesticides

p. 54

Life Disruption

p. 56

Actual Costs

p. 60

How Many People Are Affected?

p. 61

Mechanisms

p. 67

Controversy

p. 76

Principles

p. 91

Prevention

p. 91

Risk-Benefit Assessment

p. 95

Human Rights: An Ethical Counterbalance

p. 111

The Golden Rule, Silver Rule, and Sufferings of the Other

p. 135

The Precautionary Principle

p. 136

Nonconsensual Exposure

p. 140

Tragedy of the Commons

p. 141

Absence of Evidence Is Not Evidence of Absence

p. 143

Moderation in All Things

p. 144

Summary

p. 147

Modest Proposals

p. 154

Research

p. 155

Initial Clinical Presumptions

p. 165

Informed Consent

p. 170

Burden of Proof

p. 183

Disaggregated Safety Standards

p. 191

Safe Schools

p. 192

Safe Workplaces

p. 196

Transparent Processes

p. 197

Full Disclosure

p. 197

Access to Public Spaces

p. 202

Additional Proposals

p. 204

Brick Walls

p. 214

Globality

p. 216

Multinational Chemical Corporations

p. 217

Public Relations

p. 225

Medical Paradigms

p. 230

Others

p. 236

Conclusion

p. 241

North Seattle Community College Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Policy

p. 247

The Nuremberg Code (1947)

p. 251

International Ethical Guidelines for Biomedical Research Involving Human Subjects

p. 253

Draft Declaration of Principles on Human Rights and the Environment (1994)

Readers drawn to Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, Laurie Garrett's The Coming Plague, or Theo Colburn's Our Stolen Future will appreciate this work by Thomas Kerns as well. The growing epidemics of chemically induced illnesses from long-term, low-dose exposure to toxicants in both developed and developing nations are being studied by serious researchers. Questions are being raised as to how societies will deal with these new problems: Kerns's book is the first to directly address the ethical dimension of managing environmental health and ubiquitous toxicants (such as solvents, pesticides, and artificial fragrances). The work includes recent medical literature on chronic health effects from exposure to toxicants and the social costs of these disorders; relevant historic and human rights documents; recommendations for public policy and legislation; and primary obstacles faced by public health advocates. College instructors and students, victims of chemical sensitivity disorders, public health workers, scientists, and policymakers who are interested in the challenge of these emerging epidemics will find Kerns's text highly informative.

Author Bio

Kerns, Thomas :

Thomas Kerns teaches medical ethics and philosophy at North Seattle Community College in Seattle, Washington

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Preface

p. 1

Introduction

p. 5

Data

p. 25

Health Effects Overview

p. 25

Cancers

p. 29

Respiratory Disorders

p. 32

The Immune System

p. 33

Increased Incidence of Infectious Diseases

p. 38

The Blood-Brain Barrier

p. 40

Sleep Abnormalities

p. 42

Intellectual Function

p. 43

Endocrine System Dysregulation

p. 45

Detoxification Pathways

p. 50

Behavioral Disorders

p. 51

MCS

p. 52

Pesticides

p. 54

Life Disruption

p. 56

Actual Costs

p. 60

How Many People Are Affected?

p. 61

Mechanisms

p. 67

Controversy

p. 76

Principles

p. 91

Prevention

p. 91

Risk-Benefit Assessment

p. 95

Human Rights: An Ethical Counterbalance

p. 111

The Golden Rule, Silver Rule, and Sufferings of the Other

p. 135

The Precautionary Principle

p. 136

Nonconsensual Exposure

p. 140

Tragedy of the Commons

p. 141

Absence of Evidence Is Not Evidence of Absence

p. 143

Moderation in All Things

p. 144

Summary

p. 147

Modest Proposals

p. 154

Research

p. 155

Initial Clinical Presumptions

p. 165

Informed Consent

p. 170

Burden of Proof

p. 183

Disaggregated Safety Standards

p. 191

Safe Schools

p. 192

Safe Workplaces

p. 196

Transparent Processes

p. 197

Full Disclosure

p. 197

Access to Public Spaces

p. 202

Additional Proposals

p. 204

Brick Walls

p. 214

Globality

p. 216

Multinational Chemical Corporations

p. 217

Public Relations

p. 225

Medical Paradigms

p. 230

Others

p. 236

Conclusion

p. 241

North Seattle Community College Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Policy

p. 247

The Nuremberg Code (1947)

p. 251

International Ethical Guidelines for Biomedical Research Involving Human Subjects

p. 253

Draft Declaration of Principles on Human Rights and the Environment (1994)